Granted Patent B2

US 12,727,894 · App. 18/770,993 · Granted Sep 8, 2026

Inventor: Israel Oluwasakin (Dresher, PA)

Assignee: Globus Medical Inc.

A61B17/1742A61B34/30A61B90/39A61B2090/3937A61B2090/3983

Abstract

Claims (59)

1 . A dynamic reference base (DRB) comprising:

a bridge element including:

a connecting rod having a distal end and a proximal end;

a clamp coupled to the distal end of the connecting rod;

a first clutch coupled to the proximal end of the connecting rod, the first clutch being adapted to couple to an array frame;

a first and a second pin guide extending distally from the clamp; and

a locking nut disposed on the clamp and adapted to tighten the bridge element to a bone pin disposed within each of the first and second pin guides; and

the array frame affixed to the first clutch,

wherein the first clutch includes a first rotatable coupling and a second rotatable coupling, the first rotatable coupling having an axis of rotation that is generally perpendicular to an axis of rotation of the second rotatable coupling.

2 . The DRB of claim 1 , wherein the bridge element further comprises a second clutch.

3 . The DRB of claim 2 , wherein the first clutch and the second clutch are separated by an angle of about 45° to about 135°.

4 . The DRB of claim 1 , wherein the connecting rod further includes:

a first portion located at the distal end thereof, extending perpendicularly relative to the first and second pin guides, and

a first bend, transitioning from the first portion to a second portion extending proximally, away from a direction of the first and second pin guides.

5 . The DRB of claim 4 , wherein the connecting rod further includes: a second bend between the second portion and a third, proximal-most portion, wherein the third, proximal-most portion extends at an angle of about 30 to about 60 degrees relative to a plane defined by the first and second pin guides.

6 . The DRB of claim 1 , wherein the first and second pin guides are integrated with the clamp.

7 . The DRB of claim 1 , wherein:

the first rotatable coupling is secured in rotational position by a locking nut; and

the second rotatable coupling is secured to the first rotatable coupling, the second rotatable coupling including a captured screw adapted to be received in the first clutch.

8 . The DRB of claim 1 , further comprising a plurality of markers disposed on the array frame.

9 . The DRB of claim 1 , further comprising a bone pin disposed in each of the first and second pin guides.

10 . The DRB of claim 9 , wherein each bone pin is adapted for insertion into a pelvis of a patient.

11 . A method of affixing a dynamic reference base (DRB) to a patient, comprising:

providing an array frame and a bridge element including:

a connecting rod having a distal end and a proximal end;

a clamp coupled to the distal end of the connecting rod;

a clutch coupled to the proximal end of the connecting rod, the clutch being adapted to couple to the array frame;

a first and a second pin guide extending distally from the clamp; and

a locking nut disposed on the clamp;

making a first incision in the patient's skin;

inserting the first bone pin through the first incision into a pelvis of the patient;

inserting the first pin guide over the first bone pin;

using the position of the second pin guide to mark a location for a second incision;

making the second incision on the patient's skin;

inserting the second bone pin through the second pin guide;

tightening the locking nut to secure the bridge element to the first and the second bone pins;

coupling the array frame to the clutch;

adjusting a position of the array frame relative to a first axis and a second axis in a defined coordinate system; and

locking the array frame into place relative to the bridge element.

12 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

attaching tracking markers to the array frame.

13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein inserting the second bone pin further comprises inserting the second bone pin into an iliac crest of the patient.

14 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the array frame comprises:

a first rotatable coupling secured thereto and rotatable about a first axis, and securable in rotational position by a locking nut; and

a second rotatable coupling secured to the first rotatable coupling and rotatable about a second axis, the second rotatable coupling including a captured screw adapted to be received in the clutch, and

wherein coupling the array frame to the clutch comprises at least partially threading the captured screw into the clutch of the bridge element.

15 . The method of claim 14 , wherein adjusting the position of the array frame further comprises:

rotating the second rotatable coupling about the second axis; and

rotating the first rotatable coupling about the first axis,

wherein the first axis and the second axis are approximately perpendicular to one another.

16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein locking the array frame into position relative to the bridge element further comprises:

tightening the captured screw of the second rotatable coupling and the locking nut of the first rotatable coupling.

17 . The method of claim 11 , further comprising:

after adjusting the position of the array frame, confirming that the array frame is visible to a tracking camera.

18 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the clutch of the bridge element is one of a pair of clutches coupled to the proximal end of the connecting rod, each clutch of the pair of clutches being adapted to couple to the array frame, and wherein the pair of clutches are separated from one another by an angle of about 45° to about 135°, and

wherein the coupling of the array frame to the clutch further comprises selecting one clutch from the pair of clutches, based in part on one or more of:

whether the dynamic reference base is affixed to a left or a right side of the patient,

a location of a tracking camera to which visibility of the array frame is desired, or

a position of the patient on an operating table.

Assignments (1)

Continuity (1)

References Cited (400)